Automotive vehicle consoles are well known in the art. Typically, the console is placed between the driver and front passenger seats, although rear seat consoles have become common in SUV's and some other larger vehicles. The console typically provides many functions, including an armrest, one or more storage compartments, one or more cup holders, and others. Often, an armrest portion of a motor vehicle console is hinged, to provide access to one or more storage areas disposed below the armrest. It is likewise known to provide a sliding armrest assembly for a motor vehicle, wherein the armrest portion of a console may be translated into a variety of forward and back configurations according to user preference.
Each of the elements of a typical motor vehicle console such as the armrest, storage bins, etc. are typically fabricated as separate elements, and then assembled to provide a finished console. This undesirably adds cost and complexity in the form of multiple molds, materials, and excess labor or other resources associated with assembling the finished product. In turn, conventional sliding armrest designs are often quite complex and so costly to fabricate and assemble. Excessively complex designs may be prone to damage and mechanical failure.
To solve these and other problems, the present disclosure relates to an integrated sliding armrest and hinge subassembly for a motor vehicle console. Advantageously, the subassembly is fabricated in a single molding process, reducing cost of fabrication/assembly and also providing a robust, simple mechanism providing a sliding armrest function with a minimal number of parts.